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West's Journey

(September 17, 2013)--West was born nine years ago in a puppy mill. When East Tennessee Border Collie Rescue rescued him, his mother and littermates, West's journey was just beginning!

Brandy Doggett's friend who fostered the entire crew was talking about one of the 4-week old puppies that kept climbing out of the exercise pen and wandering around the house. Sight unseen, Brandy knew she wanted him. Three weeks later, West and his brother Clifford called the Doggett house home.

Brandy, a fourth-year veterinary student at UT College of Veterinary Medicine, says she was lucky enough to be studying oncology when West was diagnosed with B-cell Lymphoma six months ago. "I knew what to expect and understood the chemotherapy does not affect our pets in the same way and to the same extent as it does human patients," Brandy explains. The few side effects that dogs do experience were not an issue for West; he only had one night that he didn't want to eat dinner, the rest of the time he played ball, Frisbee and swam as vigorously as he always has. "He never knew that anything was different other than he got to come to school with me and that really nice people in Oncology gave him treats and played ball with him!"

West just completed his chemotherapy and Brandy is hoping for a long period of remission. "I want him to be with me as I graduate vet school and begin my journey as a veterinarian!"

West joined Brandy on Team UTCVM for the PetSafe K9 Cancer Walk held September 22, 2013. Make plans to join Team UTCVM for the 2015 PetSafe K9 Cancer Walk.